Convertible raft and the like.



S. M. IOHNSON.

CONVERTIBLE RAFT AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION `FILED ma. 4. 191s.

Arran/VWS UMTED sra'rns PATENT ermee.

SAMUEL MATHEW JOHNSON, 0F CARDIFF, WALES,KASSIGNOVR TO JOHNSONS CONVERT- IBLE BOATS AND RAFTS LIMITED, 0F CARDIFF, WALES.

CONVERTIBLE RAFT `AND THE LIKE.

Application filed March 4, 1918. kSerial No. 220,208.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Savin(r raft or as a deck-littine` constituting 2B b D a canopy-seat, alcove or shelter for passengers on shipboard; the object of the invention being to provide a structure which, while capable of being secured on deck 'close to the bulwa-rks or side hand-rail, can be readily cast loose and without further preparation thrown overboard where, being selfrighting, it will at once constitute a raft presenting a well for the accommodation of pas-l sengers.

In a practical forni, the structure oi the present invention consists of an oblong and substantially rectangular hollow body which (regarded on the one hand as a raft) has approximately lat sides and ends and is closed at bottom and open at top so as to present a well, the structure carrying at or near its lower longitudinal angles (whereat the bottom meets the respective sides) a pair of buoyancy-pontoons, and which (regarded on the other hand as a deck-fitting) is adapted for being set up on deck so as, by resting upon one of its longer sides, to present an alcove or shelter open at front and closed at the rear and ends and at its upper and lower sides. In addition a pair of seatlockers, either or both of which may be slidable transversely of the interior of the structure on guides, are provided so that, when the structure is used as a raft, the lockers may form benches face-to-face at the respective sides of the well whereas, when the structure is used as a deck-shelter, the one locker will be superposed on the other at the lower side of the structure to form a single bench.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate in a somewhat elementary manner one embodiment of the invention7 Figure 1 is a midship cross-section of the structure when set afloat for use as a raft, Fig. 2 being a similar View showing the structure when Patented July 3o, 1918.

set up on deck for use as a canopy-seat or shelter. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the structure when used as a raft, while Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the structure when used as a canopysseat or shelter.

The structure shown in the drawings consists inwardly of an oblong rectangular open-topped box having a bottom 11, a pair of longer sides 12, 12, and a pair of shorter ends 13, 13; the ends 13, 13 `being obtusely wedge-shaped externally so as to present each a blunt cut-water 111. The sides of the structure. are duplex and each incloses between its inner wall 12 and its outer wall 15 a hollow watertightspace 16 adapted to contain a mast, oars, or other necessary littings for use when the structure is employed as a raft, the space 1G at each side being- `closed attop preferably by a sliding door or doors 17.

The outer walls 15, 15 of the sides of the structure are inwardly curved so as to converge slightly in the downward direction and thus give to the structure the cross-sectional form of a flat-bottomed boat, as indicated in Fig. 1, and outside each lower longitudinal angle is fixed (by means of brackets as indicated at 18) a buoyancypontoon consisting of a closed metal cylinder 19 with domed ends 20, both pontoons extending throughout the length of the structure. Each pontoon is so placed relatively to the inward curvature of the adjacent outer side-wall 15 that the Structure, when set up 0n deck so as to rest on one of the side-walls 15, will be kept erect by resting also on the pontoon as indicated in Figs. 2 and 4, wherein 21 represents the deck while 22 represents a gunwale of the ship, the structure being shown as placed with what is now the back 11 of the shelter thus constituted, turned outboard.

Internally, the structure is provided with a pair of seat-lockers 23, 24 which extend throughout the length of the well of the raft and either or both of which may be slidable transversely thereof on guides 25 at the ends 13, 13 so that, when the structure is used as a raft, the respective lockers can be placed at opposite sides of the well to serve as separate benches as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, whereas, when the structure is used as a deck-shelter, the lockers will be superposed one upon the other at the (for the time being) lower side of the interior of the shelter,

and Will thus form together a single bench as indicated in Figs. 2 and 4;. The lockers are preferably furnishedwith sliding doors as indicated at 26, and, When-placed at the sides of the Well of the raft, Would be secured in position by catches, lashings, or other convenient means.

lWhen the' structureis set up on deck as in Figs. 2 and 4, it is secured" in: position.-

(by lashings for example) so that, on being cast olithe :struc-ture .can be tipped overn Withpontoons .secured Vthereto at the junc-n tionvof its .bottom and sides, and with tivo,A

longitudinally `extending seat-lockers, .lone of which is transversely slidableto permit it` to rest on the other'` When the `structureis fused as a covered seat.

2.A structureladaptedto serve as arator acovered .deck seat, consistingfof ankoblong .and substantially rectangular @body having approximately =flat sides and ends,

.the structure being closed at the bottom `and p described. f

open at the top so as to form avvell, pon= toons secured tothe body atmtlle junction of its bottom and sides, and a seat locker at each sideof'thebody vand extending tlie length thereofVone of the lockers being mounted to rslide transversely to rest upon the other locker when the structure is placed on 4its side and used as a covered seat.

A structurefadapted to serve as a raft or a covered seat, consisting of a substan- 40 tially rectangular'` body having approxi;l

`mately flat sidesland ends, the structure Vbeing closedat the bottom and openatthe top so as to= form awell and provided atlthe f junction of `itssides and bottoms' with pon'- toons Whose outer faces lie in the same plane .asthe sides, wlierebythe` structure lis adaptedto rest onone side to form ashelter open fat the frontl and; closed lat .the .rear ends, .and its upper and lower sides." Y

4. The ycombination with aboat-like struc ture adapted to serve vas a raft' Oras-covered deck se,at,`.of` a pair ofv seat-lockers eit-lieror i Lbotliof which may be slidable transversely Vof the-interiorof tlie structure/on guides Vso ,as to be .adapted `for .use alternatively asfr :separate 'benches inthe raftor as al single bench inthe deekfs'helt SAMUEL MATHEW- .,ioHNsoiSi.'V

er,- substantially 'as f Copies of` thispatentmay-fbe obtained for-live .ents'eaehfv by addressing vthe Commissionerof"Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

